SiFusion Furnaceware Gains Tool of Record Status for Fab's Oxide Anneal Process

Measurable Yield Gains with SiFusion Contribute to Growing Industry Adoption

Sunnyvale, Calif., September 12, 2006 – For the first time, a major semiconductor manufacturer has specified SiFusion™ furnaceware from Integrated Materials Inc. as the tool of record for the fab's oxide anneal process. The 300 mm U.S. fab converted all furnaces in operation at its facility to SiFusion poly silicon furnaceware after experiencing significant overall device yield improvements in this high temperature process. SiFusion furnaceware enabled these gains with its pure poly silicon composition, which lowers ionic contamination and reduces mechanical stress during the high temperature process.

This tool of record facility uses the SiFusion high temperature, long finger boat in the manufacture of complex, state-of-the-art devices at the 90 nm node. It conducted a yearlong evaluation and qualification of SiFusion furnaceware against other options in the oxide anneal process. The improved device yield and reliability of SiFusion exceeded the performance of alternative components.

In addition to achieving tool of record status at this U.S. fab, SiFusion boats have been qualified by two Asian fabs, which are gradually populating their oxide anneal processes with SiFusion furnaceware. An additional Asian fab is actively working toward qualification. Each of these three facilities has realized significant measurable yield gains during SiFusion furnaceware testing.

SiFusion Advantages for Oxide Anneal

Key to the oxide anneal process is wafer handling, support and maintaining an ionically pure environment. Accidental breakage or contamination cut short the lifespan of silicon carbide and quartz boats. Thus far, none of Integrated Material's customers have needed to replace a high temperature SiFusion boat used in the oxide anneal process.

SiFusion poly silicon furnaceware significantly reduces contact point damage, lowers mechanical stresses on the wafer and lowers ionic contamination. These benefits result directly from the poly silicon material used to construct SiFusion furnaceware. Poly silicon matches the device wafer’s Coefficient of Thermal Expansion and is 20 times "softer" than the competing silicon carbide material. In addition, because the SiFusion boat that holds the wafer is made from a gas phase deposition process, it is one of the purest materials known.

"SiFusion's poly silicon material gives any fab a competitive advantage for yield enhancement," said Tom Cadwell, Integrated Materials president and CEO. "As IC devices get smaller and smaller, a technology such as SiFusion becomes the innovation that allows the industry to advance through the stress and contamination barriers created by traditional materials."

SiFusion furnaceware offers a significant advantage over quartz and silicon carbide consumables of oxide anneal at 300 mm. Because of the substantial size and weight increases in 300 mm wafers over 200 mm wafers, the impact of an oxide anneal process on device yields is much greater, primarily due to the stress of holding the wafer. In addition, 300 mm processes are generally used to manufacture leading-edge devices incorporating smaller design architectures. As a result, these processes tend to be much more sensitive to ionic contamination. SiFusion technology positively affects contamination issues.

In addition to the oxide anneal environment, SiFusion is also suited to other high temperature and LPCVD semiconductor manufacturing processes.